General Martin Dempsey

By David Brunnstrom, Doina Chiacu, Lisa Von Ahn and Sofina Mirza-Reid, Jun. 3, 2014, Reuters.com

(Reuters) - The U.S. Army will not ignore any misconduct by released Taliban detainee Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, but he should be considered innocent until proven guilty, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

"The questions about this particular soldier's conduct are separate from our effort to recover ANY U.S. service member in enemy captivity," General Martin Dempsey said in a posting on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

Bergdahl, held for nearly five years in Afghanistan, was freed last week in a prisoner-swap deal with the Taliban brokered by the Qatari government. Five Taliban militants were released from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and flown to Qatar.

"This was likely the last, best opportunity to free him," Dempsey said.

The general said the military will question Bergdahl about the circumstances of his capture.

"Like any American, he is innocent until proven guilty," Dempsey said. "Our Army’s leaders will not look away from misconduct if it occurred. In the meantime, we will continue to care for him and his family."

Bergdahl was captured in unknown circumstances in eastern Afghanistan on June 30, 2009, about two months after arriving in the country. Many U.S. government officials say they believe he was seized after walking away from his unit in violation of U.S. military regulations.

On Monday, Republican members of the U.S. Congress said President Barack Obama had set a dangerous precedent with the prisoner swap and might have broken the law.

Fueling the criticism were accusations by some soldiers that Bergdahl was a deserter who cost the lives of several comrades.